Austin Next

This is a topic that we have had many conversations about off-air and thought it might be interesting and worthwhile to record and share with our listeners. We talk about downtown Austin's role within a multi-hub innovation region, the tension between physical proximity and remote work and their impact agglomeration effects, and the scale that only a central business district can bring.  Episode H...

Austin Next takes you on an exclusive, behind-the-scenes journey of SXSW 2023, showcasing the city's innovation-driven culture. Michael is the newbie this year, so we get his first-timer impressions. We had the pleasure of interviewing five companies making an impact at the festival: NeuraLight, Gigaroo, EverCase, Thrive360, and Eden Data. Our discussions center on their cutting-edge products, the...

Tamara Atkinson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Capital Area, delves into the role the organization plays in shaping the future of Austin's workforce. We'll explore how Workforce Solutions Capital Area supports the local workforce, what is the state of the talent market today, and how the region is balancing the constant shifts of supply and demand for labor and skills. Episode Highlights Workforce So...

Join us for an exciting week at SXSW 2023. We're going to as many panels, meetups, activations, and events as we can. While we won't have a new podcast episode, catch us on Twitter and YouTube as we explore why innovators choose SXSW, how the Austin ecosystem shines, and catch up with some of our prior guests. Stay tuned to find out what's next for Austin! ------------------- Austin Next Links: We...

Melinda Richter and Stacy Feld of Johnson & Johnson Innovation discuss healthcare innovation and technology, including J&J's involvement in SXSW, the potential for Austin as a major biohub, and both the challenges and opportunities the sector faces. Episode Highlights J&J's sponsorship of the Health and MedTech track at SXSW signifies a shift for both J&J and the overall festival,...

SXSW is one of the most anticipated annual events that celebrate the convergence of music, film, and technology in Austin, Texas. We welcome Hugh Forrest, SXSW Co-President & Chief Programming Officer back to the podcast to explore the latest developments and insights from SXSW and learn how this dynamic event continues to inspire and shape the future of creativity, entrepreneurship, and innov...

The Texas Legislature's Innovation & Technology Caucus plays a key role in shaping the state's tech policy. In this episode, we are joined by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione and Rep. John Bucy III to discuss the role of the IT Caucus, the challenges the state faces in promoting tech innovation, and their efforts to address those challenges. We look at the future of tech innovation in Texas, and how...

The combination of a booming population and an accelerating business sector, as well as the desire to "de-carbonize" creates a real challenge. In this episode we talk with Bill McCamley, the Executive Director at Transit Forward and Christy Cardenas, the Managing Partner at Grit Ventures.  The discussion delves into the diverse and rapidly changing world of energy generation, the role of transport...

Ethan Blumenthal is the CEO of OwnProp, a platform that enables investors–large and small–to invest in commercial and multi-family real estate. They do this by leveraging the power of the blockchain and NFTs. In this Spotlight episode, Ethan describes his background as a blockchain engineer and how he found his way to Austin to pursue a career in the crypto industry. He then explains OwnProp’s aim...

William Hurley, better known as whurley, is the founder and CEO of StrangeWorks, a quantum computing startup that makes the power of quantum computing easily accessible and available to all. He shares expertise on the topic and explains what quantum computing is, how it works, and its potential impact on industries such as healthcare, material science, and artificial intelligence. We also dive int...

With an estimated 10 million more Texans calling the state home by 2036, it's important that we address the big challenges that come with growth. Texas 2036 is focused on providing nonpartisan ideas and data-driven solutions to break through the gridlock on issues that matter most to all Texans. In this episode, we are joined by AJ Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of Texas 2036, and John Hryhor...

Jonathan Schupack, Executive Director & Market Lead for CIBC Innovation Banking, talks about his role in lending and serving innovation companies all over the world, including software, hardware, life sciences, and cleantech companies. In this spotlight episode, Jonathan shares how he intends to utilize Austin's robust startup ecosystem to connect with founders and provide them with access to...

Constance Y. White is the manager of the Art in Public Places Program for the city of Austin. In this episode, we will go over the intersection of art and technology in the city of Austin and explore how the program drives innovation to benefit artists, innovators, and residents. We will also discuss the program's goals of improving the quality of life for citizens, making art more accessible, and...

Gary Hoover, founder of Hoover Academy and Executive Director at American Business History Center, shares his lessons for entrepreneurs and innovators today, including the importance of being curious, studying, and understanding the world. In this spotlight episode, he expresses his thoughts on the difference in the level of innovation today versus breakthrough innovations before, and how it's dif...

Roy Spence is the co-founder and chairman of GSD&M, an Austin-based advertising agency. With his significant background in the advertising industry, Roy and his team have played a pivotal role in shaping Austin's reputation as a city of ideas and innovation. Roy is also the founder of Make It Movement, a non-profit organization that helps young people discover their own purpose. In this episod...

2023 is here and so is a whole new season of Austin Next. We are back and looking at the future of Austin and our transformation from a thriving ecosystem into a superstar region. What's next Austin? ------------------- Austin Next Links: Website , X/Twitter , YouTube , LinkedIn Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

One of the biggest changes over the last few years in the Austin region is the influx of new venture capital firms and the raising of record funds by our homegrown firms. We spoke with long-time local VC, Brian Smith Managing Director of S3 Ventures about how the funding environment evolved, where is funding being deployed, and what the future holds. Since the airing of this episode S3 has expande...

Surprising when we started exploring the subject, but this has turned into one of our most popular episodes. The regional innovation ecosystem is more than downtown and more than just Austin. The entire metro from Bastrop to Dripping Springs and San Marcos to Temple is maturing and changing. We are establishing numerous innovation hubs that operate independently from each other and come together i...

We are traveling back to our very first episode with John Sibley Butler of UT Austin. Professor Butler has been a part of the ecosystem for decades and takes us through a journey from the beginning of the ecosystem to what it is today.  We can't explore what's next before we know where we have been.  Original episode aired July 13, 2021 Episode Links John Sibley Butler: UT Austin Bio , LinkedIn ,...

Michael and Jason take a moment to reflect back on what we learned in 22, the new questions we are asking in '23, and some surprising additional elements we are adding to the show. ------------------- Austin Next Links: Website , X/Twitter , YouTube , LinkedIn Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

Bringing back the wooly mammoth, computer aided design for biology, is this a sci-fi novel or just a taste of what’s going on at the intersection of biology, technology, and Austin. Our next guest is Ben Lamm, CEO and Founder of Colossal Biosciences, Founder and Board Member of Form Bio, and a serial technology entrepreneur driven to solve the most complex challenges facing our planet.  We talk ab...

Austin Next did our first live recording on LinkedIn Live. Jason was joined by Jawad Ali (Austin Medtech Connect), and Dennis McWilliams (Santé Ventures) for a discussion on how we actually define the bio sector here in Austin, what makes us unique, our challenges, and more.  What's next Austin? Episode Links Jawad Ali Austin Medtech Connect Dennis McWilliams Sante Ventures ------------------- Aus...

The Informa Tech AI/IoT/Quantum Computing conference landed in Austin November 2nd and 3rd. Austin Next was there, listening, learning, and supporting the conference.  With speakers ranging from chess champions and NFL quarterbacks to Austin’s Mayor and UT’s Athletic Director, everyone was here to talk and learn about changes and the intersections in the IoT, quantum computing and AI worlds. In th...

Steve Case is one of America’s best-known and most accomplished entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Case co-founded AOL in 1985 and under his leadership and vision, AOL became the largest and most valuable Internet company of its time.  Moving beyond AOL, Case formed Revolution, a DC based investment firm focused on innovation beyond the coasts. On today's episode, we discuss his new book, their in...

Bob Campbell is a visionary senior business leader with a track record of building successful businesses while advising corporate and government leaders on management and policy issues. He is a management consultant; corporate board member; non-profit board member; private equity advisor, and active angel investor. We talk about his long history here, what's changed, and how the larger macro trend...